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FCTA attracts N1.8tn private investment

By on July 29, 2014

The Minister of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Senator Bala Mohammed, has stated that the Federal Capital Territory Administration (FCTA) has attracted N1.8 trillion ($11 billion) worth of private capital investments to the FCT since April 2010 when he assumed office.

He spoke while hosting a cross-section of FCT residents to a luncheon at his Life Camp official resident after paying Sallah homage to President Goodluck Jonathan at the Presidential Villa, Asokoro, Abuja.

The areas of investment inflow include infrastructure provision through land swap, city centre, railway, housing development, commerce, hotel and tourism.

He said his administration has been able to expand the frontiers of development in FCT especially through acceleration of infrastructure provision.

Mohammed cited the ultra-modern Abuja International Airport Express Road and the Zuba-Kubwa-City super highway constructed by his administration as edifying examples of his efforts to open up the nation’s capital and its satellite towns. According to him, the new super highways rank among the best on the continent as highpoints

The minister emphasised that the FCTA under has been able to open up the capital territory in an unprecedented manner especially through collaboration with the private sector operators.

 

He added that through the land swap initiative which he introduced two years ago, the administration is on the irreversible track of opening about 11 districts within the next four years through injection of private capital totaling over N700 billion by 15 ranking investors.

 

Also, the Satellite Towns Development Agency (STDA), which he re-invented in 2012, had accelerated infrastructure development in the hitherto neglected area councils and satellite towns within FCT in a manner that would help decongest the city centre. Another area of outstanding achievement by his administration which he cited was the reform of public transportation through restriction of mini buses and injection of more modern mass transit high capacity buses.

 

The minister said security remains a major challenge for the FCTA stressing that the administration was developing a security protocol.

“If you are running a business you must provide some minimum security requirements to safeguard lives and property. These include devices like hand held bomb detectors, closed circuit televisions and other devices which must be provided in business places of large public gathering,” he said.

Earlier, Mohammed had after prayers at the Eid Ground, Airport Road, led a large contingent FCT residents to pay Sallah homage to the president at the Aso Rock Presidential Villa, Abuja.

Addressing the president on behalf of the residents, he said  he had always enjoyed the humane disposition of President Jonathan, stressing that that was why the FCT residents usually crave to pay him homage during all major Christian and Muslim festivals.

The minister further appreciated the president for the deep sense of responsibility and trust on him. He said he would continue to extend his allegiance and gratitude to him marinating that no minister had held the FCT portfolio as long as him under a democratic dispensation.

Speaking at the event at Life Camp, the Chairman of Senate Committee on FCT, Senator Smart Adeyemi, commended the minister for his achievements and for promoting unity of the diverse residents of FCT. He urged others to emulate the virtues of the minister.

“We should see ourselves as one because it is in the infinite wisdom of God that he made us a diverse people,” he said.

 

 

[This Day]